Pipe wrench



May 3 1927- THOMPSON PIPE WRENCH Filed Dec. 16. 1926 a ,r .\\.l. W \A% Z 1 W /fl 1 4 z a g v 3 2 .Z/ r fi 2 4 2 v x M. A f 0 6 2 3 1 Z Z V p/w, 11 9J/ 4/ //w uw flw w FM E Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. THOMPSON, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIPE WRENCH.

Application filed December 16, 1926.

This invention relates to wrenches and more in particular to adjustable pipe wrenches.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a pipe-wrench having its clamping jaws placed directly at the front, instead of at the side of the wrench, thereby affording better means for reaching pipes located very close to walls or at'other places where they cannot be engaged by wrenches having lateral jaws, such as the well known Stillson type of wrenches. invention is to provide a wrench having secondary adjusting means which permit of a betterengagement of the wrench with .a pipe, after the jaws of the formerha ve been adjusted by means of the usual type of regulating worm. A further object of this invention is the provision of a pipewrench which is simple in construction, efiicient, and well adapted for quantity manufacture. Additional features and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my wrench, when first applied to a pipe, shown in dot and dash lines.

Fi 2 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the movable jaw of the wrench in final operating position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the handle of the wrench.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the movable j aw supporting-plate.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the movable jaw-member, with the adjusting-worm.

Reference being had to the drawing, my improved pipe-wrench comprises the operating handle 1 consisting of the body-portion 2 and the holding-portion 3. At the forward end of the body-portion is secured by means of a pin 4: the removable jaw 5. Intermediate said jaw and the holding-portion 3 the handle has a longitudinal slot 6 extending through the whole width of the body-portion.

Hingedly mounted on the pin 7 and rockable within the slot 6 is the movable-jawsupporting-plate 8 upon which is in turn rockably mounted, on the fulcrum-pin 9, the movable jaw-member 10. The latter consists of the two parallel legs 11 suitably spaced to receive therebetween the supporting-plate 8. At the head 12 of the jaw- Another object ofv this Serial No. 155,131.

member is removably secured by means of the pin 13 the movable-jaw 1 1, and there is also mounted in the aperture 15 the adjusting-worm 16, rotatable about a screwed-in pin 17. This adjusting-worm engages suitably cut teeth 18 provided on the supporting-plate and disposed concentrically about the fulcrum-pin 9-.

Acting uponthe inner end of the supportlng-plate is the leaf-spring19h'aving its stationary end secured to the operating-handle by means of a screw 20. This spring is preferably placed within a recessEZl in the handle, to give it greater protection and keep it from protruding too much out of the handle. The normal tendency of this spring is to cause the supportingplat'e to rotate counterclockwise (as seen in the drawing) a certain amount which is limited by the lug 22' on the supporting-plate striking a stop 23 provided within the handle 1.

As will be readily understood from the.

drawing, a: counterclockwise rotation of the supporting-plate about the pin 7 will" cause the: p riorl'y adjusted" movable-j aw to exert a certain yielding pressure on the pipe, thereby lnsurlng a better gripping engagement of the plpe by the jaws. The latter are, of course, provided with suitably directed corrugatlons or teeth 24, adapted to better grip or bite into the periphery of the pipe, thus preventing slipping of the wrench.

hen a pipe is to be screwed in or out, the workingman presses with the thumb of one hand on the rear end of the supportingplate to overcome the pressure of the spring 19, so that said plate will assume the position shown in Fig. 1. clamping-jaws to press on the pipe by rotatmg the adjusting-worm in the proper direction. This done, the thumb-pressure on the supportlng-plate is released in order to enable the leaf-spring to act upon said plate, thus adding extra pressure, of a yielding nature, of the jaws on the pipe. The wrench may now be rotated in the proper direction to screw-in or out the pipe without having to contend with any slipping of the Wrench around the pipe.

As will be understood, there may be slight changes made in the construction and arrangement of the details of my invention without departing from the field and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in He then causes the which the preferred form only of my inven tion has been disclosed.

I elaim:-

1. In apipe-Wrench, a handle having a longitudinal aperture provided therein; a stationary jaw secured at one end of said handle; a supporting-plate hingedly conneeted to said handle and rookable within said aperture; a movable jaw-member hingedly mounted on said supporting-plate; an adjusting-worm rotatable within said jaw-member there being teeth cut on said supporting-plate adapted to he engaged by said worm tor the purpose of moving; said jaw-member toward and away from said stationary jaw,

2. In a pipe-wreneln a handle having; a longitudinal aperture provided therein; a stationary jaw removably secured at one end of said handle: a supportirig-plate hi ngedly connected to said handle and rockable within said aperture; a movable jaw-member hingedly mounted. on said su iiporting-plate; an adjusting-worm rotatable within said. jaw-member; teeth out on said supportingplate adapted to be engaged by said worm for the purpose of rotating said jaw-member toward or away from said stationary jaw, and means adapted to normally rotate said jaw-member toward said stationary jaw.

8. In a pipe-wrench, a handle having a longitudinal aperture provided therein; a stationary jaw removably secured at one end of said handle; a supporting-plate hingedly connected to said handle and roehable with in said aperture; a movable jaw-men'iber hingedly mounted on said supportirig-plate; an adjusting worm rotatable within said jaw-member; teeth cut on said supporting plate and concentric to the fulcrum of the jaw-member adapted to be engaged by said worm for the purpose of rotating said jawmember toward or away from said stationary aw and yielding means adapted to normally rotate said jztW-IllBll'lbCl' toward said stationary jaw.

4. In a pipe-wrench, a handle having a longitudinal aperture -provided therein; a stationary jaw ren'iovably secured at one end of said handle: a supporting-plate hingedly connected to said handle and rockahle within said aperture; a movable-jaw member l'lingedly mounted on said supporting; plate, said jaw-member having a pair oi legs dis posed in spaced parallel relation and adapted to slidably receive thorebetween said supporting-plate; an adjustingavorm rotatable within said jaw-mcunher; teeth cut on said supporting-piete and concentric to the tulerum of the jaw-member adapted to be engaged by said worm -for the purpose of rotating said jaw-member toward or a way from said stationary jaw, and yielding means adapted to normally rotate said jawmember toward said stationary jaw.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE W. THOMPSON. 

